Alaska INBRE 4 ? RESEARCH EXPERIENCES CORE PROJECT SUMMARY A continuing goal of AK INBRE 4 is increasing the number of students in the biomedical field and creating a pipeline for diverse students interested in health careers to enter the state's workforce. To grow this pipeline, AK INBRE 4 will transform the previous AK INBRE 3 Research Training Core into the Research Experiences Core (REC), devoted to student-centered activities. These activities align with AK INBRE 4?s overall Specific Aim 4: to increase the research and knowledge base of an inclusive AK INBRE 4 network by providing support and training to graduate students, providing research experiences to undergraduate students, and fostering greater involvement of diverse students into biomedical research and health related careers. The REC proposes six core aims to: 1) expose faculty and undergraduate students from community campuses within the University of Alaska system to biomedical and behavioral research of relevance to their communities; 2) enhance science curricula for undergraduate students through competitively awarded curriculum development awards; 3) engage undergraduate students in hands-on biomedical and behavioral research through competitively awarded research experiences for undergraduates; 4) enhance graduate student training in biomedical and behavioral research through competitively awarded research assistantships; 5) expand undergraduate and graduate student knowledge in biomedical and behavioral research through competitively awarded travel support; and 6) enhance student research experiences through the establishment of a yearly student focused workshop of relevance to biomedical and behavioral research. Collaborating with AK INBRE 4 network partners, the Tribal Health Organizations, Southcentral Foundation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, along with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, the REC will increase the participation of Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students in biomedical and behavioral health research and careers. Southcentral Foundation and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium will provide research experiences to Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students that focus on biomedical and behavioral health research topics of importance to Alaska Native people. The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program will provide a learning community support system to foster academic success amongst Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students participating in the REC.